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Birds flew over the water, one of them swooped down and picked a fish from the water. Chiefy barked and her tail wagged as it flew past their view, looking like it was coming to offer them food.
Chiefy sat down and stared out the windows just as they did.
"I want to live here with you, Sid. If you're sure you want us here."
He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her shoulders. "I've been sure about many things in my life, Grace. I've been unsure too. I'm absolutely sure that I'd love for you and Chiefy to live here with me."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her nose tingled as tears threatened. She sat next to Sid as she was and let the feelings flow over her. A tear slipped from her eye and landed on his shirt.
After she felt she could talk without crying, she said. "I've never known peace like this before."
"Me either, sweetheart."
Chiefy finally laid down on the rug in the Florida room, flopped to her side and closed her eyes. She was at peace here too. That said a lot.
31
On Friday, two days from his decision to buy Jace's house and Grace agreeing to move in with him, Sid opened a checking and savings account at the local bank. He worked with the personal rep there to transfer his money from his bank back home, to this bank. He'd go back in a week or two, give notice on his condo, and pack up his belongings. He'd need his furniture here and he and Grace would figure out what pieces to keep and what to get rid of. They'd decided some of the pieces of furniture Grace had would fit in the house and they'd be making that move soon.
Leaving the bank, Sid headed straight to the Garage. A biker was already in position, but Sid nodded and waved at him before nonchalantly entering the garage. Coop was sitting behind the counter in the reception area, writing on a note pad.
"Good morning. You're hard at work at something not car or truck related I see." He quipped.
"It's car and truck related, but not physically. I'm writing down all the vendors I work with. The missus said I should do this and if you or Grace can email these folks and let them know you're the new contact here, that would help you out."
"Thank you, and thank the missus for me. That would be helpful indeed."
Coop laughed. "She's the brains of this operation."
Sid chuckled. "Any bricks tossed today?"
"Nope, but the day ain't over. And, I heard that the grocery store had another issue. A couple of them bikers decided to bring their motorcycles into the store and rev the engines. They filled the place with exhaust and left a few black marks on the floors on their way out of town."
"Why did they do that?"
"Apparently the store doesn't carry the kind of beer they like."
Sid shook his head. "They're pissing everyone off around here. If they don't like it here, they should move on."
"My feeling exactly." Coop’s faded blue eyes stared into his. "Don't let them win, Sid."
"We're working on something to get rid of them."
"Good." Coop closed his notebook. "I'm going to let this percolate today. I'll remember more as the day goes on."
"Thanks, Coop." He started toward the garage area but stopped. "I'm buying a house."
"A house?" Coop barked. "Well aren't you settling down!"
"That I am."
Sid felt light as he assembled the tools for the Knucklehead. He turned to Coop, who had followed him out here. "I suppose I should start working on vehicles as they come in."
Coop laughed. "I was wondering when you'd get there!"
Sid laughed. "Next one that comes in is mine."
Coop chuckled and started working on an old farm truck brought in for new brakes. Sid carried his tools to the Knucklehead and started working.
